Mando droten bal ruyot

In-universe Mandalorian culture: By Karen Traviss

See also the reading list below.

• "Darasuum Kote... Vode An" — interview with Karen Traviss by Sequential Tart (reveals some details about cultural inspiration and about the source material the author was given to work from): http://www.sequentialtart.com/article.php?id=207

• "The Mandalorians: People and Culture" and "No Word for Hero: The Mandalorian Language" from Star Wars Insider #86: https://archive.org/details/7_20220909_20220909/page/n9/mode/2up

• "Inside Mando'a Culture and Language" (background article originally available online): https://archive.org/details/sw-insider-86-online-supp-mando-a-culture-and-language

• "Celts and Mandos: a real case study" by Karen Traviss: https://web.archive.org/web/20060706125546/http://blogs.starwars.com/karentraviss/106

• Mandalorians were not based on Spartans, per Karen Travis in a post timestamped "Dec 15, 2005 06:17 PM" on this page:
  https://web.archive.org/web/20070825000605/http://forums.starwars.com/thread.jspa?threadID=237751&start=450

• "Did you base the Mandalorians on the Spartans?"
  https://web.archive.org/web/20150907203055/http://www.karentraviss.com/page22/files/Did_you_base_the_Mandalorians_o.html

• Posts from Karen Traviss from forums.starwars.com, blogs.starwars.com, boards.theforce.net, and more, plus links to interviews; over 180 pages and 68000 words:
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WdYGtUIkt0fJRC16CldO11F3slO1JO_xc0iZhnyUKpo/

In-universe Mandalorian culture: Video games

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic predates Karen Traviss, who at most uses what little the author knew about it for names and as "ancient history."

• Mandalore's Helmet (Mand'alor Canderous Ordo discusses Mandalorians in the KOTOR2 video game): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFb5i_IZ52w

• Text of a conversation with Mandalore Canderous Ordo in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (be sure to expand all dialogue trees): 
  https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic_II:_The_Sith_Lords/Mandalore

• Video compilation of conversations and war stories with Canderous Ordo in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfhr6n7ZB8w

• Text of Mando Romances from the Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) video game. Useful for seeing a couple of viewpoints of fictional Mandalorians. The Mando’a pronunciation and grammar ranges from terrible to great.
  Video of many Torian Cadera conversations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivBhB09GVnE
  Text of Torian Cadera romance: https://torcommunity.com/database/npc/SqOKZq2/torian+cadera/
  Video of many Akaavi Spar conversations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLf1IQlCJA8
  Text: https://torcommunity.com/database/mission/NCysmx2/welcome+akaavi+spar/

• Mandalorian Old Republic Lore Entries from the Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) video game. https://swtorista.com/articles/mandalorian-old-republic-codex-lore-entries/

• Video of a fight between two Mandalorians, with Mandalorians of many sizes and species cheering them on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlRCyoc3FFw

In-universe Mandalorian culture: Fan material

Since all of this is filtered through one person's opinion, do not take any of it as the definitive word on Mandalorian culture, but as one perspective on it.

• The Complete History of the Mandalorians (combines Canon and Legends material): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf8mpHIXZas

  • Script for the above video: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qmU72Hiq9p3RlRda_JgWnTXdh8HW5Vradt2EY622810/

• Mandalorian Documentary | 24,000 Years of Honor (combines Canon and Legends material): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awoqOq-n6CQ

• The Battle for Mandalore - The most obscure piece of lore on Mandos (speculation based on material from various sources): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb7YYkI-J7g

• Mandalorian armor suitup + lore tidbits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyAXURSDusY

• The Mandalorian Culture *Legends* | Manda-LORE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPogIhSHgS8

• What Was Mandalore Like In The Expanded Universe? | Manda-LORE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQAw-ili6n4

• A fan mashup of dialogue from *Star Wars: The Old Republic* glorifying the bloody history of Mandlorians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dj3tytCI24

• Wookieepedia Canon lore: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mandalorian

• Wookieepedia Legends lore: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mandalorian/Legends

• Vodcast 2: Culture and Language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3ULcx0ZPGU

• Mando'a for Di'kute podcast (presents Mando'a vocabulary and trivia about Mandalorian culture and lore, both in-universe and on Earth; some errors every episode):
  https://open.spotify.com/show/1C7ESwuwEklW2uLSLjn7zY
  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5PFZvgWhOKyXQB4Atgl6UzN33Z_p1Wxg

• Quotes from Order 66 related to the act of cin vhetin: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/cin-vhetin

• Notes about holidays, memorials, and celebrations of in-universe Mandalorians: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/holidays

• Notes about myths and key cultural concepts that appear in the source material: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/pirimmur/myths

• Notes about funerary practices, including physical memorials to the dead: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/funerary-practices

• Notes about marriage, including some fan theories:
  https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/marriage

Discussions of portrayals of Mandalorians in the media

• How the portrayal of Mandalorians have changed over time in the Star Wars media: https://www.quora.com/How-have-Mandalorians-been-portrayed-in-Star-Wars-How-has-this-portrayal-changed-over-time/answer/Eric-Lowe-6

• A Mandalorian Primer (another discussion of how the portrayal of Mandalorians changed in Star Wars media): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fquBZEZdK4

• "Documenting Boba Fett's official appearances and references" (video clips); focuses on the character on which the Mandalorians were based: https://www.bobafettfanclub.com/multimedia/video/

• Mandalorians in the Movies (Tumblr post by Project Shereshoy)

• Wikipedia article about Mandalorians in all media: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandalorians

In-universe Mandalorian culture: In French or German

• Overview in French of the Mandalorian people and culture (primarily Legends material): https://swtor-rp.webrpg.info/t2410-Culture-Les-Mandaloriens.htm

• "Groß machen Kriege niemanden: Mandalorianer im Wandel der Zeit" ("Wars don't make anyone great: Mandalorians through the ages"); information bridges Legends and Disney canon:
  https://www.jedipedia.net/wiki/Jedipedia:OSWM_104

• "Keine Mandalorianerin wie jede andere: Mandalorianer im Wandel der Zeit — Teil 2" ("No Mandalorian like any other: Mandalorians through the ages — Part 2"); information bridges Legends and Disney canon:
  https://www.jedipedia.net/wiki/Jedipedia:OSWM_106

• Overview in German of the Mandalorian people and culture (a mix of Legends and Disney canon): https://www.jedipedia.net/wiki/Mandalorianer

Resol'nare

• A fan mashup and reinterpretation of Legends and Canon details about the Resol'nare; good for an overview, but not as a primary source: https://www.tumblr.com/ladyzirkonia/716303392166887424/mandalorian-tenets-or-the-six-actions

• Quotes from the source material about the Resol'nare: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/resolnare

The rhyme presented in various ways, all without commentary.

• Resol'nare as a song: https://www.tumblr.com/it-is-no-desert/651646123874844672/a-little-melody-i-made-up-for-the-resolnare-was

• The Six Actions in Mando'a and their English meanings: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedofalltrades/video/7228732656601533739

• Soundclip of Akaavi Spar from the Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) video game: https://bokatan77.tumblr.com/post/106745117446/i-adhere-to-the-resolnare-the-core-of-what-it/amp

• Soundclip of Torian Cadera from the Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) video game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otwZ0EPabtE

Earth Mando culture

Different people have different ideas about how to live the Mandalorian culture on Earth. This is a small selection of various ideas.

• Vodcast 4: Oya'cye sa Mando'ad: Resol'nare (in Mando'a and English): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3eD__lpLZI

• Sur'gaane par Resol'nare (Pictures for the Six Actions): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKuolbvcECM

• The Resol'nare Children's Rhyme - Mandalorian Culture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hltq5ReGWdo

• How to be Mandalorian in Real Life:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsSDeJ-kG_k

• Blog about Mando realism: https://mandorealism.tumblr.com/

• Link to a document about one Earth Mando clan's ideals: https://www.facebook.com/AliitbuirKyramgalaarSolusvhoyad/posts/pfbid0i3oGAQUgyyqkhWZMRwhV8Rdf7rowYPfmgePXPNDnN668TxwTzocCJy5AZUcqta4l

• Brief thoughts on applying the Resol'nare to real life: https://www.reddit.com/r/mandojoha/comments/5y0gtw/resolnare_a_discussion/

• Early discussion on Mando realism on the mandoa.org site: https://forums.mandoa.org/viewforum.php?f=28&sid=567121013f3acc5defa2f85b8b441be1

• Mando realism servers with channels devoted to essays and resources about the culture on Earth:
  Oyu'baat (look for the Resources category, especially the culture-and-lore resources channel): https://discord.gg/CPhU2YnvcU
  Project Shereshoy Archive (look for the Resol'nare category): https://discord.gg/mAmXpWtnPz

Mandalorian food

• Information from the source material and fan theories about Mandalorian cooking: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/food-discussion

• Words and phrases related to food from the base Mando'a dictionary: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/pirimmur/food

• Links to several Mando-themed recipes: https://sites.google.com/view/kihgehatike/kai

Mandalorian art (writing, music, visual arts)

• Notes and links to reference images for art (writing, music, and visual arts) on Earth and in-universe and a list of armor-color meanings from the novels: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/art

Mandalorian games

• An fan interpretation of the game cu'bikad using a circular board: https://swse.fandom.com/wiki/Cu%27bikad

• A fan interpretation of the game cu'bikad using a square board, including discussion of sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uKKnrzcLeU

• Overview on Wookieepedia of meshgeroya (also called limmie or bolo-ball), including teams, famous players, and references in the source material: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Limmie/Legends

• Roleplaying site’s proposed rules for meshgeroya: http://holocron.swcombine.com/wiki/Boloball

Fan versions of in-universe songs

• Recitation of "Buy'ce gal, buy'ce tal": https://soundcloud.com/shadowsouln7/mandalorian-drinking-song

• Sung version of "Buy'ce gal, buy'ce tal": https://soundcloud.com/fraser-anna/buyce-gal-buyce-tal-mandoa 

• "Vode An" (Mandalorian version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR_1VtQdF34

• "Vode An" (Mandalorian version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjrHY9Ikd10

• "Dha Werda Verda": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjrHY9Ikd10

• "Aliit Ori'shya Taldin": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_KrBdIl2sw

• "Vode An" (on 16" bes'bev): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yah1G6JkvjQ

Primary Legends reading list

For most modern fans, the Republic Commando novels by Karen Traviss are considered to be the most significant source for Mandalorian culture — many fans forget any other version existed or that later official creators may have decided to have been as selective as Traviss was when she chose what to include in her version of the Mandalorians. These are now considered EU/Legends, but those who follow Mando realism draw their core inspiration from the works by Karen Traviss.

• Hard Contact (2004)
  Fan-created audio drama (complete): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnvLVKk_HoWtiF9bBF7A0WYWHpqSYo2bf
  Fan-created animated series playlist (based on the book; incomplete; Legends material): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZPQD_qkaADyuHqUlrL8u8y4PIjnAPJZl

• Triple Zero (2006)
  Fan-created audio drama (incomplete): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnvLVKk_HoWs64egi9ePuDem0knjr87Vh

• True Colors (2007)

• Order 66 (2008)

• 501st (2009)

Other Mandalorian-related material by Karen Traviss 

• Mandalorians: People and Culture and No Word for Hero: The Mandalorian Language (article in Star Wars Insider 86, February 2006); also available: https://archive.org/details/7_20220909_20220909/page/n9/mode/2up

• Inside Mando'a Culture and Language (once hosted on official online forums); also available: https://archive.org/details/sw-insider-86-online-supp-mando-a-culture-and-language

• Boba Fett: A Practical Man (Traviss, 2006)

• Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines (Traviss, 2006)

• Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice (Traviss, 2007)

• Legacy of the Force: Revelation (Traviss, 2009)

Other appearances of Mandalorians, not by Karen Traviss

• First appearance of Mandalorians as a people, was in the Marvel Comics Star Wars comics: 68-69 (1982), 99-100 (1985), 107 (1986)

• Tales of The Jedi: The Sith War (comic series, 1995-1996, set well after the the Republic Commando series in the timeline and likely based on the Marvel Comics Mandalorians rather than starting from scratch)

• Jango Fett: Open Seasons (comic series, Haden Blackman, 2002)
  Jango Fett: Open Seasons audio comic, issue 1 (Mando'a with English subtitles; Legends material): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rb8Jx1aO0U

• "The History of the Mandalorians" from Star Wars Insider #80 (Abel G. Peña, January 2005; JPG only): https://mandowords.tumblr.com/post/170798491626/the-history-of-the-mandalorians-star-wars

• Knights of the Old Republic Omnibus 1-3 (compiling the comic series that ran from 2006-2012, set during the Neo-Crusader era and well before the Republic Commando series)

• Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor (novel, Matthew Stover, 2008)

• Star Wars Legacy #4, 20, 21, 41 (comic, Hondo Karr storyline, John Ostrander, 2009)

• Star Wars: Revan (novel, Drew Karpyshyn, 2011; set during the Neo-Crusader era and well before the Republic Commando series)

• Star Wars: Age of Rebellion — Friends Like These (roleplaying game supplement, Fantasy Flight Games, 2016)

Relevant Disney Television Show Episodes

This section is for those interested in significant current Canon references to the Mandalorian people and their culture. The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett (sourcebook, Daniel Wallace, Ryder Windham, and Jason Fry, 2013) attempts to bridge some ideas from the Legends/Extended Universe with what appeared in the first two season of The Clone Wars, but some material is contradicted or called into question by later episodes.

• The Clone Wars, Season 2, Episodes 12-14

• The Clone Wars, Season 3, Episode 6

• The Clone Wars, Season 4, Episode 14

• The Clone Wars, Season 5, Episodes 14-16

• The Clone Wars, Season 7, Episodes 9-12

• Rebels, Season 2, Episode 13

• Rebels, Season 3, Episode 7

• Rebels, Season 3, Episodes 15-16

• Rebels, Season 4, Episodes 1-2

• Star Wars Forces of Destiny, Season 2, Episode 11

• The Mandalorian, Season 1, Episode 3

• The Mandalorian, Season 2, Episode 3

• The Mandalorian, Season 3

• The Book of Boba Fett, Season 1, Episode 5

• Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy (novel adaptation of episodes "Revival," "Eminence," "Shades of Reason," and "The Lawless"; Jason Fry, 2013)

Additionally, this video provides some background on some of the original design decisions behind the new representation of the Mandalorians in The Clone Wars.

• Star Wars The Clone Wars Season Two: Creating Mandalore Featurette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs21QP1czZg

Official Star Wars Site

Browse the databank for Disney canon information about Mandalorian characters, ships, gear, and places, plus overviews and episode guides. The search feature works best if you know what you’re looking for.

https://www.starwars.com/databank

Real-World Development of Mando'a

Examinations by various people of what they discovered about the real-world development of Mando'a.

• A History of Mando’a: https://numidianprime.wordpress.com/2022/01/25/a-history-of-mandoa/

• History of Mandalorian Language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZTqCn0BZwM

• Inside Mando'a Culture and Language (interview with the original conlang author): https://archive.org/details/sw-insider-86-online-supp-mando-a-culture-and-language

• Quotes by the original conlang author from various sources about influences from real-world languages, plus similarities that fans have noticed and a link to an interview with Jesse Harlin: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarmandoa/bajur/mando-droten/earth-inspiration

• Development History: The Mandalorian Alphabet  (note that all appearances of the Mando'a scripts in official media use the script as a cipher for English with one exception — a few banners in Star Wars: Tales of the Old Republic have Mando'a in one of the Mando'a scripts):  https://forum.mandoa.org/viewtopic.php?t=222 and with pictures: https://project-shereshoy.tumblr.com/post/668753830966657024/development-history-the-mandalorian-alphabet